1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of harnesses for the interconnection between a standard vehicle radio, a standard vehicle harness, and an add-on electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a conventional method of interconnecting a factory audio system 2 into a vehicle (not shown). The factory audio system 2 comprises a standard main vehicle wire harness 3 with a connector 4 at one end, a standard vehicle radio 5 which has a wire harness 6 with a connector 7, a battery 8 for providing power to the vehicle radio 5 and a vehicle speaker system 9 for providing audio output. The connector 4 from the vehicle wire harness 3 is connected to the connector 7 from the wire harness 6 of the vehicle radio 5. The battery 8 and the speaker system 9 are usually connected from the other end of the main vehicle wire harness 3.
To improve the sound quality of a factory audio system 2, a person would need to replace the radio 5 and the speakers 9 to improve the sound quality. Specifically, an after market audio system is preferably installed into the vehicle to improve the sound quality. To install the after market audio system, one must remove the standard vehicle radio 5 and cut off the connector 4 from the main vehicle wire harness 3 and splice the wires to connect the after market radio and speakers. The disadvantage with this traditional wiring of the after market audio system is that the installer must be competent in order to correctly hardwire the after market audio system to the main vehicle wire harness 3. If this is not done correctly, the audio system may malfunction, requiring the owner of the vehicle to spend more money to correct the problem caused by the incompetent installer. Another disadvantage is that by cutting off the connector from the vehicle, it voids the warranty on the vehicle and also violates the lease agreement.
The following eight (8) prior art patents were uncovered in the pertinent field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,047,152 issued to Mitchell on Jul. 7, 1936 for "Automobile Radio Cable" (hereafter the "Mitchell Patent");
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,633 issued to Ghirardi et al. on Jan. 16, 1973 for "Fitting Means For Axially Slit Corrugated Conduits" (hereafter the "Ghirardi Patent");
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,062 issued to Miller et al. on Jul. 21, 1981 for "Auxiliary Light Wiring Harness" (hereafter the "Miller Patent");
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,853 issued to Chia et al. on Apr. 5, 1983 for "Cavitation Nozzle Plate Adapter For Rock Bits" (hereafter the "Chia Patent");
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,217 issued to Clabburn et al. on Nov. 15, 1983 for "Cable Joining Connector And Method" (hereafter the "Clabburn Patent");
6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,984 issued to Sugiyama et al. on Mar. 28, 1989 for "Wire Harness Assembly" (hereafter the "Sugiyama Patent");
7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,956 issued to Sepe on Apr. 18, 1989 for "Coaxial Cable" (hereafter the "Sepe Patent"); and
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,960 issued to Hopkins et al. on Feb. 9, 15, 1993 for "Trailer Light Connection System" (hereafter the "Hopkins Patent").
The Mitchell Patent discloses an automobile radio cable. The Mitchell Patent is of interest with respect to the automobile radio cable with branches. It teaches inductively winding the lead wire about an insulated core, and providing a suitable insulated shield around the inductance, thereby providing a balancing capacity effect.
The Ghirardi Patent discloses a fitting means for axially slit corrugated conduits. It comprises a flexible axially slit corrugated tube for housing a plurality of electrical leads.
The Miller Patent discloses an auxiliary light wiring harness for use with a vehicle headlight system. The harness comprises a three prong plug adapted for connection to the existing vehicle plug, a pair of female plugs adapted for connection to a pair of vehicle headlights, and auxiliary connectors adapted for connection to a pair of auxiliary headlamps. The harness also comprises wires connected to the three prong plug, the pair of female plugs and the auxiliary connectors, and a six pole two position switch connected to the wires and operable to allow an operator to energize the vehicle headlights or the auxiliary headlamps.
The Chia Patent discloses a cavitation nozzle plate adapter for rock bits.
The Clabburn Patent discloses a cable joining connector and method. The re-enterable cable jointing connector is used for low voltage electrical power distribution network cables and a method of using the connector to isolate cables physically and chemically one from another, while achieving in-line electrical connection as well as environmental sealing adequate for underground burial.
The Sugiyama Patent discloses a wire harness assembly for mounting the work onto the vehicle body and the connection work between the electronic or electric parts and the connectors. It comprises a primary wire bundle and a plurality of branch wires branched from the primary wire bundle which is received in a wire protective casing. The protective casing is composed of a casing body and a casing cover along with the arrangement configuration of the wire harness. A plurality of engagement holes are formed in the protective casing, corresponding to connectors provided at terminal ends of the branch wires. Cushion arms that are engaged with engagement holes are formed on outer walls of housings of the connectors, so that the connectors are displaceable relative to the engagement holes.
The Sepe Patent discloses a coaxial cable. The cable is constructed by removing the outer insulation from a section of two single coaxial cables, electrically connecting together the exposed shields of each cable at both ends of the exposed section and reinsulating the abutted cables so that the shields remain in contact along their entire length.
The Hopkins Patent discloses a trailer light connection system. It comprises a T-shaped connector having three terminals which include a modularized tap plug as the third terminal for direct or indirect connection to the trailer lighting system.
None of these prior art patents have disclosed a wire harness for the interconnection between a standard vehicle radio, a standard main vehicle harness and an after market add-on electronic device. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a wire harness with the capability of rapidly interconnecting the standard vehicle radio, the standard main vehicle harness and the add-on electronic device so that a person does not have to be electrically or mechanically inclined to install an after market add-on electronic device to a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a wire harness that is flexible so that additional accessories may be installed into a vehicle.